Beacon Hill

BOSTON/Beacon Hill—State and transportation officials marked the memory of Rosa Parks at the State House Tuesday by honoring nine African-American women who advocate for more equitable transportation opportunities throughout the Bay State’s public transit system.

February is Black History Month. Parks would have turned 100 years old on February 4th.

BOSTON/Beacon Hill - Over 30 people - mainly residents of housing subsidized by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and tenant organizations in the Save Our Homes Coalition - held a protest at the Bank of America on Cambridge St. on Saturday "to urge Sens. Scott Brown and John Kerry to tax the wealthy and big corporations"to prevent cuts to HUD that would displace thousands of Massachusetts tenants if enacted."

BOSTON/Beacon Hill - Over 30 water advocates and allies attended a hearing convened by Catarina de Albuquerque, the United Nations Independent Expert on the right to water and sanitation, on Friday, Feb. 25th. De Albuquerque was in Boston as part of a mission "to examine the way in which the human right to water and sanitation is being realized in the United States" in the wake of the United Nation recognition of the right to water and sanitation last year by the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights council.

BOSTON/Beacon Hill - On Tuesday, Centro Presente of Somerville, the Center to Support Immigrant Organizing of Boston, Organization Maya K'iche of New Bedford and several other immigrant, community and religious organizations held a press conference on the State

BOSTON/Beacon Hill - Over 100 people from several area community organizations and unions gathered at the State House Steps on Wednesday to rally in support of House Bill 5004 "An Act to Improve Certain Criminal Justice Matters" (the CORI Reform Bill) which would reform the Criminal Offender Records Information system to make it easier for former criminals to get jobs in Massachusetts.

BOSTON/Beacon Hill - Suffolk University contract janitors with ABM/One Source celebrated a union contract victory with a short rally on Tuesday in front of the Suffolk Law School. Several janitors, organized with SEIU Local 615, spoke to a crowd of about 20 supporters including union staffers, Suffolk students, and other unions and labor support groups.

The janitors' contract had been set to expire the same day, but union negotiators were able to make gains at the last minute. The proposed 5-year contract will go to members for a vote tomorrow.